Chapter 8: Chapter 5: Arven’s Infrared

        A pack of Scream Tail (past relatives of Jigglypuff) bounced across a few of Area Zero’s grassy patches, their tufts of dark pink hair waving behind them. One tripped and almost fell down one of Area Zero’s hills, but it caught itself by waving its tiny arms.

        The Pokémon cried out when a blast of green light entered their peripheral, and they hastily bounced toward Research Station No. 1—the cleanest research station of the four in Area Zero.

        Celebi, Miraidon, Nemona, Penny, Scarlet, and Arven appeared above the area where the Scream Tail just were. One-by-one, they tumbled out of the sky and landed on top of each other.

        Celebi remained in it. It studied the dizzy friends and Miraidon and mumbled, “Bi,” to itself.

        Nemona rolled off Arven and leaped to her feet, cheering, “Yes! Yes! We’re here!” She forgot how much she enjoyed Area Zero. There were just so many unusual Pokémon for her to ogle at. She noticed a Scream Tail further below that was covered in a soft, yellow and pink light and pointed at it. “It’s a Terastallized Scream Tail! I’m gonna battle it! I’m gonna battle it!” Nemona started to make her way toward the Scream Tail, but somebody grabbed her wrist—Scarlet.

        She gave her friend a quick shake of her head.

        “Aw, but why, Scarlet?” Nemona complained.

        Penny rose to her hands and knees and brushed the dirt off her hoodie and pants. “Nemona, we’re not here to engage in battle. We’re here to help Arven.”

        A pinch of excitement tugged Arven’s gut. Rising from the ground, he asked, “Does this mean you guys are coming with me to the past?”

        “I-I didn’t say that,” Penny stuttered.

        “But we are, aren’t we?” Nemona pressured. “Come on, Penny! Where’s your sense of adventure?”

        To defend herself, Penny held up her hands. “It’s not an adventure I’m scared of,” she said. “It’s what A—” She cut off because she remembered how upset Arven got when she mentioned AI Sada. “—It’s what Professor Sada told us.” Closing her eyes, she mimicked Sada. “Time travel is possible, kids, but humans will not be able to return to the present.”

        Arven waved his hand and said, “Eh, that’s a bunch of poppycock.” He clutched the straps of his knapsack and bounced it. Arven pointed his thumb at Celebi. “That’s why we have Celebi.”

        “Exactly,” Celebi explained.

        “Excelente!” Nemona said. “Then we’re off! To the Zero Lab! Hike! Hike! Hike!” She punched the sky a few times and turned on her heel. Before her friends could stop her, Nemona sprinted for the deepest section of the Great Crater of Paldea.

        Just seeing Nemona’s excitement, Scarlet smiled, but Penny folded her arms.

        “I swear, that girl is gonna get herself killed,” she groaned.

***

        While Penny was uncomfortable being back in Area Zero, at the same time, she had forgotten just how mysterious the descent to the Zero Lab was. With each switchback, she saw Past Pokémon and regular Pokémon—most of whom leaped up and down like dogs through the tall grass and Area Zero’s wood sections.

        Pokémon who didn’t want to play relaxed under the crater’s enormous waterfall, which poured all the way down to the bottom, where clusters of Tera crystals were. They covered the Zero Lab and surrounded it like parasites. It was a sight all too familiar to Penny, Scarlet, Arven, and Nemona.

        Arven’s eyes landed on something not far from the Zero Lab—a headstone-like rock, in which a few crystals had overtaken its top. With Celebi floating next to him, he approached it and saw writing on the rock’s face. Arven read it… and froze. Goosebumps prickled on his arms like cactuses, and his face turned ghost white.

            Here lies Professor Sada read the headstone.

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        “Arven?” Penny asked, peering over her shoulder. He stood a little too still in between those two Tera crystals near the lab. It looked like Celebi couldn’t even snap him out of his trance.

        “Yo, what are you doing?” Nemona inquired, right after Penny. “I thought we were going to the Zero Lab.” However, as soon as she, Penny, Scarlet, and Miraidon joined Arven, she lost her smile and whispered, “Oh.”

        Silent, Arven stared at the grave. Here lies Professor Sada. A lump formed in his throat, but Arven swallowed it and clenched his fists.

        Scarlet took his shoulder and gave it a gentle rub.

        Penny, even though she wasn’t good when it came to comforting people, said, “I’m sorry, Arven.” She reached for her heart.

        “No,” Arven snapped, shaking his head. “How dare these people try me like this? My mother is not dead.” His fists shook with his words.

        “Arven,” Penny stuttered, “I-I know this is difficult, but you have to accept that—”

        “Shut up, Penny!” Arven yelled, turning his back to her.

        “Arven!” Nemona said. She and Scarlet rushed to Penny, who bent her knees and tried to make herself look smaller.

        Lowering his head, Arven unclenched his fists. “I’m sorry, Penny. However, I can’t let these fools fool me into thinking I will never see my mom again. I’m going to bring her back, and we’re going to finally be a family.” He took a deep breath. “I just know we will.” With those words, he left his friends and stumbled in the direction of the Zero Lab.

        Behind, Nemona asked, “Are you all right, Penny?”

        Penny nodded. “Yeah. He’s just going through a lot right now.”

        Scarlet gloomily watched Arven.

        He stopped and kicked a loose Tera crystal off to the side. Arven plopped down on a rock and buried his face in his hands. His infrared, his Treasure… No. His mom was not gone. Arven refused to believe that.

        Where Scarlet stood, Koraidon once again busted out of his ball. He gave her a confused look, but he purred when she tickled the feathers on his head.

        Miraidon glanced at Celebi, who patted his nose and pointed at Arven. Inhaling, Miraidon clutched a crystal in his claws and dropped his head. Kicking the crystal off to the side, he went to Arven and sat in front of him. Miraidon put his nose under Arven’s arm. It fell from his face.

        “Miraidon?” Arven questioned. “What are you doing here?”

        “Gias. Gias,” Miraidon answered. He pushed Arven to his feet and came within reach of Zero Lab’s steel ramp that led to its circular, metal door. Why was he doing this again?

        To get a better look at the Pokémon, Penny, Scarlet, and Nemona met up with Arven and stood on either side of him. Celebi landed on his shoulder, and Koraidon mimicked Miraidon—by resting his own head under Arven’s hand.

        Zero Lab waited, not for Koraidon or Celebi, but for Miraidon. It was time to open the gate.

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